Truagh win SH Shield
Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling Championship Shield Final
Truagh 3-11 Clontibret 1-11 3/8/14
Truagh won the SH Shield for the first time since 2010 with a six-point win over Clontibret in Aughnamullen last Sunday. Truagh’s county men were to the fore, with youngster Conor Boyle contributing six points and Conor McKenna (two) and Damian McCarron accounting for the goals that ultimately separated the teams. Fergal Greenan and Shane McNally did their best to keep Clontibret in touch, but to no avail.
Both teams were off the mark in the opening couple of minutes, with Maurice McQuillan (Truagh) and Raymond McNally (Clontibret) on target, before points from Conor Boyle and Noel Flood moved the former side ahead. Liam Savage got on the end of a McNally cross to crash home the opening goal and he quickly added a point from play, but Boyle converted a 50-metre free for a foul on Kevin Colton and he then sent in a long ball which fell for Conor McKenna to fire to the net.
Savage was unlucky not to get a second goal when he hit the post in the 20th minute, although a foul on Stephen Mohan allowed Brian Greenan to point a 30-metre free and Fergal Greenan added a fine long-range point from play. Conor McKenna flicked a long free from Boyle home for his second goal in the 25th minute and Boyle went on to point a ’65 and a 55-metre free for a foul on Flood. Damian McCarron added a point for Truagh and although Fergal and Brian Greenan combined to create a score for Mohan, the Gaels still led by 2-7 to 1-5 at half-time.
A minute into the second half, Cormac Connolly took his point from a 20-metre free after a foul on Fergal Greenan, who added a nice score of his own, but Conor and Cathal McKenna kept Truagh in control. Cathal McKenna sent a shot at goal just wide on five minutes, but Truagh soon had their third major when McCarron flicked home after Ryan O’Neill blocked Conor McKenna’s shot.
Brian Greenan had a shot at goal blocked at the other end as the game became increasingly scrappy, with the only score of the following ten minutes being a Shane McNally point for Clontibret. Brian Greenan converted a 45-metre free for a foul on Kevin Tomany, but Boyle won and scored a 40-metre free to end 18 scoreless minutes for Truagh. Boyle hit his sixth point from a 30-metre free after a foul on McCarron and Clontibret’s only response was a late point from Fergal Greenan, while Raymond McNally was off-target with a goal-attempt.
Truagh will represent Monaghan in the Ulster Club Junior Hurling Championship later this year.
Truagh: Pauric McKenna; C McGinnity (Capt.), N McCarron, B Connolly; C McAnespie, N Cadden, S McClave; N Flood (0-1), C Boyle (0-6, 4f, 1 ’65); Conor McKenna (2-1), K Colton, R McKenna; M McQuillan (0-1), D McCarron (1-1), Cathal McKenna (0-1).
Subs: Pearse McKenna for McQuillan, C Treanor for Cathal McKenna (both 48 mins).
Clontibret: R O’Neill; C Todd, S Murphy, C Morgan; K Tomany, K Greenan, G Brennan; S McNally (Capt., 0-1), B Greenan (0-2f), R McNally (0-1), F Greenan (0-3), L Savage (1-1); S Mohan (0-2), C Connolly (0-1f), P Murphy.
Subs: D McKeown for P Murphy (27), J McSkane for S Murphy (52).
Referee: J O’Rourke (Monaghan Harps HC).
